Del Monte Fresh Produce has withdrawn its threat to sue Oregon’s senior food safety official. In August 2011 the Coral Gables, Fla. based company sued the Food and Drug Administration to seek an injunction that would lift an FDA rule restricting the importation of whole fresh cantaloupes into the United States.
The ban stemmed from a cantaloupe Salmonella outbreak linked to melons imported by Del Monte from a Guatemalan farm and packing facility. The outbreak sickened 20 people in 10 states. Del Monte recalled cantaloupes, but sued the FDA saying the prolonged ban was hurting business.
One week after Del Monte sued the FDA, it filed a notice of intent to sue Oregon’s public health unit and senior epidemiologist William Keene. In a press release Del Monte said that its “Notice to Sue alerts the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division of its conduct and misleading allegations regarding Del Monte Fresh’s imported cantaloupes as the source of a Salmonella outbreak earlier this year despite the lack of sufficient factual basis.”
But in a letter emailed this week, Del Monte told Oregon public health that it would not filing suit after all. “Obviously, it’s a relief for us that that’s withdrawn so now we can focus on the job we’re supposed to do which is to protect the public’s health,” said Dr. Katrina Hedberg, state epidemiologist. “All along we have believed that the science was solid behind this outbreak.”
